• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.49
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• pp.169-202
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• 2017

In this thesis, we investigate the animation (2001) based on the three phases of the lyrical expression derived from Ye Weiqu's Mono no aware Aesthetic-a Japanese classical aesthetics' perspective, on the aspects of the perceptions of human, world, and nature. By analyzing each component of three phases of Mono no aware Aesthetic, the thesis illustrated that how (2001) utilized and expressed Japanese classical aesthetic and how Japanese classical aesthetics were widely utilized into modern Japanese animations. Moreover, the thesis also stated that Mono no aware Aesthetic has become a creative element in order to answer a development direction with future Japanese animations. Through integrating Japanese unique classical aesthetics into the animation elements, Satoshi Kon, the director of the animation, well carried and expressed the cultural content of Japanese nation, thus promoting a deep understanding of characteristics for Japanese animation which have a wide appeal. In his masterpiece -, the characters building, plot describing, theme expressing, cultural meaning could be analyzed respectively by means of Ye Weiqu's 3 phases of Mono no aware aesthetic, reflecting how inherited the legacy of Japanese classical aesthetics. Furthermore, based on the analysis method, the animation contributed tremendously to Japanese classical aesthetics and Mono no aware aesthetics. Tradition for classical aesthetics could play a role as a creative tool for contemporary and future animation.